EPTSo recently it feels like the meta has shifted drastically in PvZ. Before the recent patch its been low adept counts and high disruptor counts with robo openers. The protoss players were going 4-5 disruptors usually 2 for harass and two for team fights. i'd see phoenixes sometime to deal with my lurker builds. Recently, I'm running into protosses running gateway first adept builds and transitioning into highly effective mobile armies. These armies have much higher adept and immortal counts. I figured i'd put a thread on TL about the current meta change to discuss the effects of such a change.
Approximate build-
Usually, they are gateway first expo into double gas. The first adepts are coming out around 2:40. The build follows with fast stargate with and oracle coming out around 4:20 and hitting zergs aroudn 4:50. They use the scouting and pressure to decide whether to expand around 5 minutes before they tech into a robo, second stargate, or more gateways.
Late game transitions-
The late game compositions are looking void ray, immortal, storm adept, and stalkers vs ground, and double stargate phoenix chargelot oracle vs ling muta. Here is an example of the anti-lurker composition.
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Anti-Lurker Protoss Composition
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/rMMHmgj.png)
The Adepts feel very tanky compared to zealots, and do not enter into the lines which the lurkers are so good at killing. Also, the Adept psyonic transfer is more effective in my opinion at locking down the kiting from zerg units. I feel like i really like the dynamic army movement and ability to punish lurker based compositions with it.
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Effects-
Mobile and powerful armies that don't ball up.
I really like the direction that the beta is going with highly mobile Protoss armies and to show how more protosses are adapting the current meta to deal with the lurker heavy style from zerg. The scouting is primarily based on adepts and oracles with the ability to punish for mistakes.
Harass styles have changed.
Disruptors seems to come out in much smaller numbers in favor of higher immortal counts adding more to the tanky and dps aspects of a big army fight and less on harass which is left more for dts, warp prism drops, and oracles.
Ultralisks and lurkers-
It feels that both of these unit compositions are not near as effective against the higher immortal/adept counts than the zealot/archon counts.
Multitasking.
It seems like the protoss players have to watch their armies more closely and focus on taking partial engagements more than fully committing or sitting in a spot on the map. It requires much more watching of the army and map awareness and much less defensive play.
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I would love to see a more in-depth analysis of the style from some high level protoss with refined builds and comments.
I'd like to hear your comments on the change in play style and if you feel that its better for the viewer and competitive scene.
But before endgame I've been going Blink + Disruptor, which is a very mobile army provided you have a Warp Prism around.
